The Appalachian Mountains may have once been as lofty as the Himalayan- Tibetan Mountain belt is today. Why are they not this high now? A) They developed a dense crustal root following collision, and isostasy forced them to sink to their present elevation. B) They formed long ago, and erosion has beveled them to their present low elevation. C) Opening of the North Atlantic Ocean converted lithosphere to asthenosphere beneath eastern North America, forcing eastern North America to sink to low elevations. D) The mountains cooled following the collision, which increased the density of the of the rocks by cooling, and isostasy forced the mountains to sink.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Appalachian Mountains formed during the Paleozoic era, approximately 480 million years ago, and have since been subjected to millions of years of weathering, erosion, and tectonic activity. As a result, they have been worn down to their current lower elevation.

The Appalachian Mountains May Have Once Been as Lofty as the Himalayan-